Pretty Unique Printable Wedding Stationery

Given half a chance, I'd spend hours of every day browsing the amazing artistic offerings that make up Etsy. If you haven't discovered it yet, you're going to fall head-over-heels. Along with Pinterest {& Before the Big Day}, it's the only website you need to create a truly individual wedding day. My latest find are the fabulous stationery designers behind Yes Dear, Studio. Aubrey and Philip create gorgeous, unique wedding invitations and Save the Dates - many printable at home - a genius idea to save you precious pennies. My favourites are pictured below - I love the vinyl botanical design {which comes with a real-life record!}, the desert-style invitations, and the library book style. They've also designed bookmark Save the Dates, so you can start your theme from the start!

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Destination Mexican Wedding Featuring a Donkey & Tequilla

The perfect wedding is an alchemy of romance, design and organisation, plus a supercalifragilistic-expialidocious photographer. In this case Stephanie Williams from This Modern Romance, seriously rocked the wedding photographs, taking pics of every little, exquisite detail. The bride and groom behind this romance are Erica and Abrahm, who celebrated their big day on Valentine's Day in the gorgeous mountain town of San Miguel De Allende in Mexico, at an historic colonial villa called Casa Chorro. The wedding theme of orange and grey, succulents, wood and French linen worked perfectly with the venue, and I've fallen for Erica's lace Monique Lhuillier dress, bespoke-dyed Kate Spade shoes and succulent bouquet. Their wedding coordinator, Guadalupe Alvarez from Penzi Weddings, did an amazing job of coordinating the three days of celebration. Not only did she provide the flowers, decor, and Benito the tequila donkey, but her team built the whole raised reception dance floor on the villa grounds in less than two days! Amazing!

Pretty Pastel Lavender & Old Lace Millinery Wedding Inspiration Shoot

Celebrate the start of the summer wedding season with this stunning wedding inspiration shoot organised and styled by Fabiola Capo Milliner. I'm in love with the whimsical prettiness - the vintage book props, the feathery softness of the wedding gowns, the wide pastel bouquets, but most of all the divine accessories. Just take a look at the chic cuteness that is the Pink Champagne Pillbox Hat, and the vintage fabulousness of the silk capelet - such a clever take on a veil. Brides keen on a hint of Great Gatsby will adore the Pearl Headdress, and boho brides will fall for the Blushing Bride Halo. Stunning pictures by 13:13 Photography

A Rustic Mountain Lakeside Wedding with Rich Purple Details

Mountain weddings have to be amongst the most romantic, and they're pretty rare - I see a lot of weddings and not many are set in such dramatic scenery. This is a burlap wedding, one of those gorgeous affairs where elegance and rustic meet with a heavenly combination of details you'll want to copy. My stealworthy spots are the invitations, complete with mini wood charm, the silver birch candle stands and the coolest cake stand in the world. Huge thanks to Jose Villa for his perfect photographs - every one is a winner.

Homemade DIY Rustic Wedding Signs

One of my favourite DIY details at my wedding were the homemade wooden wedding signs. I'd spotted tonnes of them on Etsy, but with our tight budget, we were keen to DIY as much of our wedding as possible. Thank goodness for my helpful father- and brother-in-law! Between the two of them, they rustled up some fantastic signs, all made out of old wooden pallets, which cost next to nothing. The day before my wedding my in-laws scattered signs throughout the village, so nobody got lost. They also made for great wedding decorations around our wedding venue. Take a look the pictures from my wedding day {by Chloe at Caught the Light}, plus a few more for inspiration. If you want more ideas on what to write on your signs, check out my Pinterest page or Facebook page.

{Pictures above by Caught the Light}

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Real Fun-filled Farm-style Wedding

Brace yourselves for a wedding inspiration overload from this gorgeous vintage-themed countryside wedding. Fabulous couple, Julia and Mark planned a beautiful rural wedding with wild flowers, tractors, green gingham tablecloths, and a huge cheese cake. They decorated their barn reception with pretty DIY wedding details, including candle holders tied with lace and twine, a wooden place settings board with luggage label tags hanging off different door handles, and lovely bundles of herbs on each plate. Guests had a great time flying kites {such a fun idea, the daylight equivalent of sky lanterns}, dressing up in silly wigs, and later in the evening lighting sparklers. Fabulous pictures by the lovely Artis Studios.

Real Elegant French Chateau Wedding

Totally obsessed with this immensely classy wedding in the Loire Valley in France.The location is just divine, and shows you how hugely atmospheric the right venue can be, and how much it can add to your big day. When the gardens are this exquisite, you'll hardly need to add any flowers, saving your pennies for the honeymoon, or a gorgeous Croque en Bouche profiterole cake like the one picture below. The pictures for this wedding come thanks to Punam Bean, who truly captured the happiness of Cailen and Sean's big day. Just look at the smiles! Sean's dress is pure fairy-tale and I love the little lavender bouquets and boys' buttonholes. As for the last picture, who doesn't want their day to end with sparkle?

A Castle Wedding with a Simple, Elegant Theme

If you want to feel like a princess on your big day, then you're going to need to hire a castle for your wedding venue. Luckily there are plenty of venues in the UK to tick your castle-box - not least the dramatic Hedingham Castle in Essex hired by gorgeous bride and groom, Liz and Mike. Liz wholeheartedly adopted the regal feel for her wedding style, wearing a beautiful, champagne gown from Allure Bridal, teamed with a divine, sparkly tiara by Andrew Prince. Sparkly emerald cut diamond earrings, plus an art deco design wedding ring completed her elegant look. Mike lived up to his bride's style, with a smart grey morning suit and dove-grey waistcoat. The whole ceremony was beautifully pictured by Kristian Leven, enjoy his shots - many more to come later today, including all the detail photographs from the elegant, ivory and platinum themed reception.

We got married on Friday 5 April, 2013 at Hedingham Castle in Essex. We had our ceremony in the castle itself before going over to the Georgian house and marquee for our reception.
 

The first part of my outfit I bought was my tiara. It was made by Andrew Prince in London who I went to see after seeing some of his pieces in a bridal magazine. His shop was being refurbished when we went, but he set me up with a Snow-White style mirror and a cabinet overflowing with tiaras and jewellery. The young girl in me who had dreamed of being a Disney princess was in her element!

I chose a tiara that had emerald cut accents that coordinated with my engagement ring {an emerald cut diamond solitaire}. It was more expensive than I had budgeted for, but I had to have it. It was as close to a real diamond tiara as you could get {Andrew makes the tiaras for Downton Abbey, that’s how good they are!}, and I couldn't get married in anything else. My mum bought it for me as a birthday present on the condition it became a family heirloom, and is now kept in a safe so that I don't wear it out. The moment my tiara went on was the moment I became a Bride and everything fell in to place for me. All the nerves disappeared and I just felt incredible.

Introducing Bob Owen Wedding Photography

Looking back, it's like my wedding passed in a flash. Or perhaps it was more of a blur - particularly after two glasses of champagne at our reception! I remember after our big day, we couldn't wait to see our official wedding pictures. We begged our friends to send their iPhone shots - just to try to piece together the bits of our big day that we missed. You're bound to feel the same way, and that's why I'm thrilled to recommend Bob Owen Photography. His beautiful reportage style captures the fleeting, precious moments of your wedding day, making memories on your behalf. With twenty-five years of experience, you can be sure you're putting yourself in good hands. Bob is wholly professional and easy going - just the type of person you'd want to have around on your wedding day. His packages start at a reasonable £1200, and he offers both the option of an album, or digital copies of your pictures. I've been enjoying looking through his blog - it's full of beautiful shots, and testimonials.

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Wedding Trends of 2014 - Air Plants

Can I let you into a secret? If you want to be ahead of the wedding fashion curve, then take a look at the wedding blogs from across the Atlantic. All the way over in California, they're always one step ahead of the trends, and every year, about three or four of the mega-trends wing their way over to the UK. One of the big ones for this summer and autumn is air plants. These cute, often spidery plants, are a great way to add green to your big day, while being super-eco friendly. They require hardly any water to grow {unlike cut flowers that often need loads}, and air plants will still be alive after your big day, as a growing reminder. But the best thing? They look fantastic! Just take a look at these wreaths by Peacock Taco. Shop owner Robin has lots of favour ideas too - take a look at her shop! P.S. I found lots of air plants for sale on Amazon and eBay.

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A Swedish Boat Club Wedding with a Simple White Theme - The Reception

This simply stunning wedding goes to show that you don't need tonnes of wedding details for the perfect wedding, just lots of love, good cheer, and fantastic friends, Johan and Maria celebrated their big day by the water, in a boat club decorated by their family and friends. I love the elegance of the single green-white carnations, white candles and pastel green table stationery. The views of the water are just spectacular, and it goes to show that you don't need tonnes of decoration if your venue stands out. Lucky Maria went to school with wedding photographer Annevi Petersson, who shot these beautiful wedding pictures. Don't you wish your going away transport was a boat!

We celebrated our wedding on 24 August 2013, in Åhus in Sweden. We got engaged in 2002, but it took another ten years, and two beautiful children later and a lot of encouragement from the bride until Johan proposed a second time!

He chose the very same spot that we got engaged 10 years earlier, in a park by the water. He went down on his knee and popped the question and I cried, because I'd almost given up on my dream wedding. But in fact, Johan had planned for the proposal over the last year.

A Swedish Boat Club Wedding with a Simple White Theme

There's something incredibly romantic about a wedding by the water, and this beautiful wedding is a lesson in simple Swedish style. After ten years together and two beautiful children, Johan and Maria celebrated their big day with a church ceremony, wedding rings designed by the bride, and a fabulous wedding reception in a rustic boat club. I love Maria's stunning tiered wedding dress and her cute birdcage veil, teamed with an elegant pearl necklace. A super-chic look, and I love her carnation bouquet - regular readers will remember I flagged up carnations as a big wedding trend for 2014! Big love to Annevi Petersson of Annevi Weddings for her beautiful pictures - more coming soon in Part 2.

We celebrated our wedding on 24 August 2013, in Åhus in Sweden. We got engaged in 2002, but it took another ten years, and two beautiful children later and a lot of encouragement from the bride until Johan proposed a second time!

He chose the very same spot that we got engaged 10 years earlier, in a park by the water. He went down on his knee and popped the question and I cried, because I'd almost given up on my dream wedding. But in fact, Johan had planned for the proposal over the last year.

Introducing Guide To Be - A Brand New Wedding Review Site

As a complete devotee of travel review site TripAdvisor, I was thrilled to hear about the launch of a brilliant new wedding review site. Guide To Be is fresh out the box, exciting new venture designed to help you find the very best vendors for your wedding day. Designed to be written by brides for brides, it's the brainchild of the lovely Eve, who set it up after she struggled to find good recommendations for her own wedding. Can you believe it's the first user review site for UK wedding suppliers? It's exactly what we need! To encourage brides to get involved and write reviews, Guide to Be are offering a brilliant competition to win a 5 star break at Turnberry Resort & Spa.

All you have to do is write two reviews or more, to be in with a chance of enjoying a luxury weekend, including two nights accommodation, a three course meal and a bottle of champers at one of the UK's most romantic 5 star resorts. It's the perfect prize for a mini-moon, pre-wedding R&R or even a baby moon! I've written a few reviews already - take a look at my personal recommendations, including this one {below} for my wedding photographer Caught the Light!

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Bunting & Bathing Huts Wedding Stationery

If you love the traditional British world of bunting, bathing huts and camper vans, you're going to love the wedding stationery shop I've just discovered on Etsy. Something New Stationery is the brainchild of Jenni Bryan, and she's clearly taken inspiration from the British seaside. Just take a look at her lovely designs below! Her shop also stocks a huge range of colourful baking twine, at a reasonable price of £5 per spool. What's not to love?

Holiday Beach Huts Wedding Seating Plan, £45

Blackboard {Chalkboard} Signs For Your Wedding

Way back when, before I even got engaged{!), I fell in love with the humble blackboard {or chalkboard} as the perfect wedding decoration detail. I liked their versatility, their DIY fabulousness, and the fact I could use them to communicate with my guests before I'd even walked down the aisle. They're also a ideal for brides on a budget, saving you money on individual menus and expensive printed table plans. Plus, you can reuse them in a flash - just wipe off one message, and write another! I bought my blackboards super-cheaply on eBay, and my lovely friends Tom and Susie carefully chalked on our cocktail menu, and guest book instructions. Check out the pictures below for more wedding inspiration!

Real White Elegant Wedding: Lauren and Joe

This is one of those divine weddings that make you want to jump right into it, and party with the bride and groom! Lauren and Joe chose to have their elegant white wedding in Napa, and the sun shone brightly over the palm trees all day. From Laura's gorgeous wedding gown, to the bridesmaids' dusky pink dresses, the flower girl's adorable crown and the page boy's bow-tie, the entire wedding party looked fabulous. I'm also loving the mixture of white table flowers in mismatched vases. I chose exactly the same style for my own wedding - by using cheaper blooms, you get a great effect for half the budget. I'm also enchanted by the romantic maharajah-style marquee with scalloped edges - hire one for your wedding from the Raj Tent Club. The wedding was planned by  Rosemary Events - gorgeous pictures published with thanks to the hugely talented Jose Villa.

Hand-drawn Whimsical Wedding Invitations

It only took one look for me to fall in love with these gorgeous hand-drawn and hand-painted wedding invitations. Designed by illustrator Victoria Whincup, their whimsical charm perfectly suits a British summer wedding. Each picture is unique, although you can choose to personalise the designs in her Etsy online shop. For me they perfectly capture the homespun wedding trend that's so huge this year.

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Real Elegant White French Wedding with Vintage Details

Every now and then I come across a wedding where I wish I'd been a guest! Loan and Andrew's French wedding near Biarritz definitely falls into that category. I'm completely in love with Loan's gorgeous elegant wedding style - her ruffled dress, wavy strapped Jimmy Choos and super-cook fish-tail French plait wedding hairstyle. Throw in the fabulousness of her bridesmaids mismatching but matching dark blue dresses, and Andrew's chic suit, and you've got the best dressed wedding party I've seen in a while. I'm also loving the white peony and berry bouquets, the lace detailed vases {buy them from Ikea}, the vintage getaway car and the ornate gold-frame table plan. Guests were encouraged to write messages on cute tea-stained tags and hang them in a wishing tree, before enjoying a delicious French meal, with multiple wedding cakes. Heavenly pictures published with thanks to Jonny & Morgane from M&J Photography.

A Lucky Wedding Sixpence

'Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue' ...and you'll be needing one of these too! I'm a huge fan of the wedding traditions, and the lucky silver sixpence has been a traditional wedding symbol since the Victorian Era. Glue it to the sole of your shoe, and think of it as an anti-rain talisman! Love this card too - wouldn't it make a fantastic present from the groom to the bride - or equally, you could turn tradition on its head, and give one to your future husband. The silver sixpence is genuine!

{I want this!} Silver Sixpence Wedding Card, £8.00 by Clouds and Currents, who also stock a particularly gorgeous range of chevron straws!

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